Stay
by SirenSamantha
Summary: After Sacrifice (8.23), I pretty much couldn't stand not having something after that ending and so needed some kind of closure. This is what came of that. Cas shows up at the bunker and explains to Dean what happened, Dean steps up as well telling Cas some of his feelings. Spoilers of Season 8 finale.
1. Chapter 1

Stay, Please

It takes hours to get back to the bunker. Sam sleeps the whole way, a distressed look plastered on his dirtied face, and hands curling into fists multiple times. Dean's tense—his entire body still, and eyes straight on the road—he's trying to not think about anything, everything, he tries to just focus on the stretch of road in front of him, but it's hard.

He's beyond worried sick about Sammy, he has no clue where to start with curing him. All he knows is he has to. There's nothing without Sam.

Then of course there's Cas. They had just witnessed every angel in heaven fall—literally—to a fiery doom and he can't get the image out of his mind of his angel friend falling, surrounded by flames and a deathly peaceful look on his face.

Dean rubs his stubbled chin as he lets out a heavy sigh and keeps driving.

The Impala rolls up in front of the bunker covered in a deep darkness, and even the chore of finally making it home makes Dean feel a little calmer. It takes effort to manhandle Sam inside and to his bed, his long limbs like dead weight, but Dean gets it done. He cleans Sammy up the best he can, removing the blood and dirt from his young face, pulling off his dirtied shirt, then removing his shoes and pants as well. Sam looks comfortable in his own bed, laying still, his head being caressed by a pillow and clean sheets under him; finally Dean breathes out. He knows that it's going to take a lot to make Sam better, how do they fix what the trials have done to him? Sam will still be sick until they figure it out, but he's got Dean, and for now tonight, he's sleeping soundly in his bed. Dean pulls the blanket up over his brother to his chest then proceeds to leave the room.

Dean walks through the bunker, it's dark and quiet, peaceful, yet feels wrong at the same time. Kevin has gone to bed; he had admitted to Dean he was going to leave before the angels fell then he figured it'd be best to stay. Dean didn't drill him, didn't bother being mad about Kevin wanting to leave, he understood and let the kid go back to the room he took up a few nights ago.

One bottle of beer goes down as if it was water, cool and refreshing, then Dean pauses when he reaches to open the fridge for another. There it is again, knocking, someone is at the door. His brow is furrowed as he slowly walks through the space to the door; he stands in front if it for a moment and only opens it when it is banged on again. When he opens it however, he's frozen in his spot at the sight of Castiel standing there.

"Cas." He speaks, eyes wide on the angel who looks beat. "Cas, what, what happened? I thought, no I _saw_, the angels fall. How are you here?" He notices how Cas' face changes through emotions, but then settle on distress.

"I," Cas meets his eyes, "may I come in?" Dean curses at his stupidity and ushers Cas in and they sit at a large table across from each other.

"Talk to me, Cas." It's plain there's something going on.

He watches Cas closely as he starts to talk, the angel's eyes are restless, unable to find a place to focus on, his hands together in his lap, and lips opening and closing multiple times. "Naomi was right. As you may, already know, the angels were flushed from heaven, by Metatron. All of them, gone." He pauses and Dean takes this moment to speak up.

"How did he do it though? What was the last step?" Dean focuses on Cas.

"An angel's grace." Castiel speaks, quietly, sadly, and it's then he looks up to meet Dean's eyes. "Metatron took my grace to complete the spell." Dean has no worthy response. "My grace is what made me an angel, it was what connected me with all of heaven. Now it's gone, and I,"

"You're human." Dean interrupts staring down Cas.

With a heavy sigh, the angel—man—replies, "Yes."

Dean feels tense all over again. It makes sense now; why they angels all fell, and why Cas looks so lost right now. But he has no response, how does he reply to an angel loosing his grace, the thing that made him everything he was and lived for? Nevertheless, Cas won't look away from Dean, and he doesn't bother breaking the stare either.

"I, I'm sorry, Cas." Cas blinks and seems to nod softly. "Are _you_ okay? Has it affected you, or, is there anything I can do to help you?"

Castiel finally looks away. "I do not think so. Metatron used my grace, there's no going back." A pause. "And I, I will have to adapt I suppose. I don't," he looks back up to Dean wearing dawn together brows, "I don't know how to be human. It doesn't feel right."

Dean can't help but feel sorry for Cas. He can't imagine what it must be like for him, to have everything he knew taken away and thrust into a strictly human life; Dean, if anybody, knows how sucky life can be and now Cas has to live one. A simple 'I'm sorry' seems so weak and pointless in this situation, yet he says it anyway. "I'm sorry, Cas, I really am." The man across from him nods. "I'm not the one to preach to anyone about life and how it should be lived, but you're not alone, Cas. You have me an' Sam, you know that right? You don't have to do this on your own. In fact, I don't want you to do this on your own, alright, I'm not going to let you-" the image of a very different human Castiel fills Dean's mind, one who immerses himself in drugs, sex, and alcohol, and who just isn't _Cas_. He shakes his head and breathes, "You're more than welcome to stay here, you know. With me and Sam, the bunker's safe you said it yourself, and then you won't have to be alone with this." Castiel is looking at him with such large, blue eyes, if Dean weren't used to the intense staring he'd look away. Not now though, not when this is Cas and Cas needs him now. Dean's not letting this break. "Stay." He says finally, ultimately, and waits for Cas to reply.

"I, don't-" the man's voice is quiet as he looks down at his hands once again, but this time Dean splits.

"Dammit, Cas." He stands from his seat, rounds the table and stands at Cas' side staring down at him with a strict expression. "Don't you even think about leaving. Where would you go? Without your mojo things are a lot harder, everything will be harder, Cas, don't you understand that?" the man only glances up at him once. "Stay. Stay with us here, it'll be easier on all of us, it-" Dean sighs, finally letting the words out, "it'll be easier on me." Castiel looked up at him confused. "I hate not knowing where you are, whether you're alive or dead, or when you don't check in with us for weeks. So stay for me, Cas, please." Those large blue eyes are nowhere but on Dean now that he's let the truth out. He watches Cas with a weary eye.

Castiel rises slowly from his chair, the trench coat swaying around his form and then he looks Dean face to face. "I apologize for causing you concern before." Dean can't catch the scoff before it slips out. "But I, would like to stay. For you, Sam, and myself; you are the only family I know anymore." The ball of stress in Dean's shoulders starts to unravel out of sympathy and relief.

He's reaching out without thinking, grabbing Cas by his shoulders and pulling the man into his arms. Dean embraces Cas with his arms wrapped around the man's shoulders to hold him close. "It'll be okay, Cas. We'll make it through this together, I promise."

Arms rise up on either side of Dean to wrap around his body as Cas hugs him back. The embrace is strong, yet Dean feels how much Cas relaxes into it, like it's released the stress of the world from his shoulders. "Thank you, Dean." The voice comes out dulled by the fact Cas is speaking into his shoulder, but Dean just hugs him tighter sensing Cas needs all the support he can get right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean led Cas to the large couch in a different room of the bunker where they sat, and Cas talked. That was about two hours ago now.

It was obvious to Dean that Cas needed to talk, so much has happened to the guy not only with in the past months, but the past couple years, and with a few prying words Dean unleashed a whirlwind. Part of him wondered if the reason Cas opened up so easily this time is because he's human now. Nevertheless Cas talked and Dean listened, he paid attention to everything Castiel would tell him and did his best to keep up. Dean was there for Cas, just as he had promised, and if listening, providing a comforting word or hug would help ground Cas then he could do that.

Finally though, Cas got to the point where he couldn't make it through a full sentence without yawning and the human weakness of needing sleep approached him. The conversation—or rather story as it had turned out to be—has been slowing and approaching their current situation anyway, so when Dean butts in he doesn't think Cas will mind.

"Hey," Cas looks at him and his expression is easier than it was earlier that night, before he'd told Dean everything. "like it or not you're going to need to sleep soon, Cas. What do you say we call it in?"

The man seems a bit appalled by the idea of actually having to sleep, but nods understanding. "You're right." Dean stands from the couch with a huff and Cas follows the motion. "Where should I-?" Dean looks to see him now with an almost confused look on his face again, searching for his place and the right thing to do.

Dean smiles softly and tilts his head, "Just come with me." Flicking off the single light in the room Dean leads Cas through the bunker; the soft pad of footsteps behind him in the dim hallways makes him feel secure. Eventually they reach Dean's own bedroom. He walks in and turns on the light, smiling again because it's good to be home.

These a minute of silence before Cas' voice comes from behind him. "Is this, your room?"

"Yep, decorated and furnished by yours truly." Dean turns with a smile on his face, but Cas isn't smiling.

"You don't have to let me stay in here, I can-"  
"Cas." Dean stops him. He's not letting Cas spend his first night as a human sleeping on a couch. "Relax, okay. The other bedrooms are still full of old boxes and not meant for sleeping in yet. We'll get one cleaned out for you tomorrow if you want, but tonight you can stay in here, with uh, me." Dean glances at Cas before moving into the room and removing his shoes.

"You're sure you don't mind?"

Dean turns his head towards the man, "I'm sure, Cas. Now get ready for bed."

Dean goes through his routine, offering Cas a clean shirt and pair of boxers to wear if he wants, and then goes into the bathroom. When he returns, Cas is in the clean clothes and standing at the end of the bed.

"Bathroom is three doors down on the left." Cas simply nods and goes out while Dean then changes. Dean walks down to Sam's room and pushes on the cracked door to peak in. He hears his brother's steady breathing, and can make out his large frame in the bed; knowing Sam is alright lets him breathe easier.

Cas is back in his room when Dean returns, and he shuts the door behind him before walking to one side of the bed and Cas copies him. The light is turned off before Dean settles into his bed, very aware of the body lying next to him and he tries to just relax. The air in the room is cool and still as the two lay in the bed, the only noise comes from the rustle of sheets as Cas tries to get comfortable. Dean lets it slide for a while thinking Cas has never slept before and just needs to find a comfortable position, but after close to forty-five minutes of tossing and turning, Dean sighs Cas' name and solves the problem by reaching across the bed and pulling Cas to him. The man's back slots against his chest and legs fold around Dean's, their heads ending up on the one pillow leaving the other off to the side.

Dean settles in behind the warm body, "Relax, Cas." His arm is draped over the fallen angel and his hand rests at his chest, "You'll sleep, just let your body rest."

Castiel's chest inflates as he takes a deep, slow breath, and then lets it out gentle. Dean can feel the body in front of him loosen and meld into the bed, and his body, more.

The room goes quiet again, and Dean's surprised at himself at how easily he adjust to having Cas in bed with him. He tries not to think about it too much, not now anyway.

Dean is just about to drift off into sleep when he hears Cas again, but in a much sleepier tone. "Thank you, Dean."

Smiling to himself, Dean presses his nose against the back of Cas' neck, just under his hairline. "You're welcome. G'night, Cas."

He hears a soft good night in return before sleep overwhelms them both.

It's hours later, and a good jump into the morning, before Dean wakes up finally. When his rational thoughts finally reach him, he turns his head and sees Cas asleep still next to him. He stares, blatantly, for a minute at the once angel, now human man who wears the most peaceful look on his face as he remains asleep. Dean however, knows it's pushing ten in the morning and he needs to see if Sam is awake and what Kevin is up to, so careful not to stir Cas, he pushes down the blanket over him and starts to pull away. A strong grip on him heeds his movement though. Cas has a hand fisted in the center of Dean's shirt where his hand has been rested. A part of Dean almost wants that to be enough of an excuse to stay in bed longer, but the other more rational part of him gently pulls the shirt from the confines of Cas' grip and then quietly rolls out of bed. He peaks over his shoulder when at the door to see Cas spreading out over his side of the bed on his stomach and falling back asleep.

Dean slips out the door and walks through the bunker that's filled with sunlight, yawning as he makes his way to the main room. Sam is there, seated with a couple books in front of him and a mug of coffee.

"Hey," his younger brother says to him.

"Hey, how are you feeling this morning?" Dean asks coming to stop behind a chair across from Sam.

"About the same. A little more groggy, but other than that." He shrugs and pick up the mug.

Dean nods, at least it's not worse. "Where's Kevin?"

Sam looks like he should still be in bed. "He uh, went out to the store, said we were low on 'good food' and that he'd be back in a while."

"Do you think he will be?" The last thing Dean needs now is Kevin running off by himself with no word as to where.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Dean simply nods and the air hangs quiet between them. "Cas is here." He finally says.

That gets Sam's attention. "Cas? What happened, is he okay? Where, is he?"

He's not sure where to start exactly, doesn't know if he should tell Sam everything Cas told him last night or stick to the basics for now. "He fell. Not like the others we saw. Metatron-he took his grace from him and he's human now." Sam's face mimics his response of 'wow'.

"Where is he? Is he okay?"

"He will be, he's still asleep in my bed."

"In your bed?" That's just Sammy, Dean thinks as he rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, in my bed, and stop thinking whatever you're thinking there was no place else for him to sleep." He'd be fine if Cas just wanted to take up half his bed from now on, Dean thinks to himself.

"Alright." Sam says and chuckles.  
With a sigh Dean moves away from the table and Sammy to go to the fridge; it however, might as well be empty and no wonder Kevin went out for food. "I hope the kid gets us some pie while he's out." Dean speaks into the fridge and hears Sam flip the page of the book in front of him.


End file.
